Apartment and rental property dwellers, have no fear! In Part II of this week’s series on adding color to a room without painting the walls, we’re going to focus on adding color through textiles.
Textiles are perhaps the best way to add texture to a room. The combination of various types of fabric provides a great amount of tactile and visual interest. When you add color into that mix, you have the recipe for a great room.
Although your pillows, throws and curtains can certainly all be in solid colors, I encourage you to explore the world of patterns. A great pattern can really liven up a space, like this office by Gina at Shabby Creek Cottage. Although Gina does keep her palette very neutral in this room (she DOES add tons of aqua in other spaces, though), the unexpected medallion pattern in the curtains gives the vintage space a little modern edge.
Another thing to consider when exploring patterns is that you need to coordinate either your colors or your theme. The colors don’t need to be exactly the same throughout your room, though. In fact, it’s better if they are not. Varying shades of the same hue add more depth to your color palette.
Take these two pillows from World Market – one is a colorful Ikat and the other is a neutral with a paisley print. Separately, they are very nice, but nothing too special. Put them together, and you have a perfection combination of texture and varying shades of similar colors.
If you are seriously ready to embrace a bold pattern, go for something really fun on your windows. I am obsessed with Anthropologie’s Finnia curtains, and I think they would look amazing in a bedroom. With a pattern this loud, I’d probably keep the bedding very neutral. Then, I’d pull one of the colors out of them other than the yellow (like maybe the purple or green) and do striped throw pillows on the bed.
Actually, Anthropologie has the market cornered on curtain panels, as far as I’m concerned. They are pricey, each one makes a huge statement.
If you’d rather make a statement with your bedding, you can use another large pattern to do that. Gone of the days of matching bedspreads and curtains. Bring some color into your bedding and keep your curtain panels more neutral. For example, this duvet cover from Urban Outfitters is simply stunning.
I love how they’ve styled the duvet with the bright blue side table like we discussed yesterday. Romantic and vibrant – an unusual combination. I’d keep my bedsheets white and probably do white curtain panels, too.
Also, don’t forget that the throw blanket on your sofa doesn’t have to be a solid color, either! I have one that is striped in different shades of purple, and it looks so great on my dark chocolate sofa (until I get my turquoise sofa, that is). You could use Z Gallerie’s orange chevron throw to add some color and movement in your living room, as it would add a contemporary vibe to the most traditional of neutral pieces.
Adding color to a room through textiles is probably one of the easiest ways to create a little more vibrancy in your space. How do you add color via textiles?
One great tip I’ve come across is that you can also apply fabric to the walls…that you can remove later without having caused any damage to the paint. You use spray starch to adhere the fabric, and when you want to change or move, peel off the fabric and then just wash the walls with regular soap and water! Admittedly, I have yet to try this myself but thought I’d share.
Shut up! I have never heard of that, but I’m definitely going to have to explore that further. Love that idea!
i have never heard of spray starch but i have used liquid starch many times. It’s wonderful and it does just peel right off the wall. If you do an entire wall you must use a printed fabric. Cotton works best. If you do not want an entire wall cut shapes out of fabric or cut out the shapes on printed fabric and apply that with the starch. It’s great for apartments where you’re not allowed to paint.
After promising my DH that I would not paint the house we are in now, I started looking for wall hangings too. I found a really cool mural type at a medieval market and hung it using command strips. Since the background is blue I added all the little blue, green and red accessories that I hadn’t put anywhere for their girlishness, I have 3 boys. My “sitting room” is now a place I go to read and relax while my boys are rough and tumble in the living room!